Mesquite, TX – April 2, 2021 – Kim Buttram has been named the new Director of Economic Development for the City of Mesquite. She returns to Mesquite where she served in the Economic Development Department as the Assistant Manager from 2016 - 2017 and the Assistant Director from 2017 - 2020. Buttram said, “It’s a thrill to be back in Mesquite. It is an exciting time in this community with so many current developments underway and new prospects to pursue. I am grateful for this opportunity.”
City Manager Cliff Keheley said, “It is wonderful to have Kim return to our organization. Her authentic personality and passion for building business relations will be tremendous assets to the growth of Mesquite’s economy. We have a strong economic development team in place, the addition of Kim makes it even stronger.” Keheley shared that during her previous tenure in Mesquite, Buttram played a significant role in creating a Business Retention and Expansion Task Force as well as rebranding the department’s creative assets for marketing.
In addition to her previous stint in Mesquite, Buttram has served as the Economic Development Director for the City of Cedar Hill (TX), the Director of Business Development for the Greenville (TX) Board of Development and as the Economic Development Director for the City of Forney (TX). She has a Bachelor of Arts in Business Administration from the University of Texas A&M University and is a Certified Economic Developer by the University of Oklahoma Economic Development Institute. She is also a graduate of leadership programs through the North Texas Commission Foundation, Kaufman County and Mesquite Chamber of Commerce. Buttram stated, “I have been instrumental in district redevelopment, business expansions and in laying the groundwork for corporate industrial development which creates new job opportunities, and I look forward to doing the same in Mesquite.”
Buttram has been active in array of economic boards and committees. This has included the board of directors for the Chamber of Commerce in Forney, Mesquite and Cedar Hill, both the Mesquite and Cedar Hill ISD’s Career-Technology Education Advisory Boards and the Dallas College Brand/Strategic Planning Focus Group. She is a member of many economic professional associations which include the Dallas Regional Chamber of Commerce DFW Marketing Team, the International Council of Shopping Centers, the North Texas Commercial Association of Realtors, the International Economic Development Council, the Texas Economic Development Council Board of Directors and the Texas Downtown Association.